


Of Foxes and Vipers

by Dawn1000



Category: Original Work
Genre: Empires - Freeform, Gen, Politics, Royalty, War, romantic undertones but not really enough to warrant a relationship tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-06-30 12:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19853380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawn1000/pseuds/Dawn1000
Summary: When Alva's country is brought to its knees by the might of the Melan Empire, the defeated princess has no choice but to plead her case for mercy to Kartini, their prodigal Empress.





	Of Foxes and Vipers

Alva can't breathe. Her nails dig into the pale flesh of her palms and her eyes flit around her chambers nervously. She tugs at the bracelet loped around her left wrist. The glass beads attached to it calm her a bit. 

Suddenly the doors to her chambers swing open. Alva scrambles up from her chair and in her haste, auburn strands of hair slip from her braid. She adjusts them quickly.The guard who's entered - Chol- gives her a reassuring smile and her heart warms. 

She takes his offered arm as they begin to walk through the halls of Empress Kartini's palace. Alva hates herself for admiring the beauty of the building. She's seen it all before of course, but that was when she was being dragged through these corridors by her hair, wailing at the sight of her father's bloody head on a pike.

Along the walls, intricately carved images have been ingrained. They depict the elements; relentless waves, roaring infernos, whirling winds, and shattering earthquakes are displayed. Tapestries of gold and silver silk hang like banners from the ceiling, all portraits of Emperors and Empresses from long ago.

As Alva and Chol weave through the marble pillars, the disgraced princess gets the impression they're judging her. She looks away from their stern faces and quickens her pace. The Captain of the Royal Guard hastens to follow in suit. 

The area in which they walk is completely uninhabited. All they can hear is the steady clicking of Alva's shoes against the slate floor, and the sound of Chol's blade bumping against his hip. 

A thousand thoughts are running through Alva's mind.

Empress Kartini is famous for both her lenience towards conquered peoples and her cruelty. She can accept one country with a warm embrace while at the same time another might feel the cold kiss of Melan blades. Alva's father, Ren of Cas, the third of his name, was the Fox Empress's biggest rival. The chances are she will not be kind to her new subjects. But if his daughter can convince her to be merciful, her people might scrape through this, defeated and humiliated, but intact. 

The future of Alva's civilization rests in her hands.

Chol lets out a pained hiss and Alva realizes with a jolt that she's gripped his arm too tightly. She lets go, an apology springing from her lips, but the brunette simply waves her off. Alva thanks the gods for him. Chol is steadfastly loyal to the Fox Empress, but he is also more empathetic than anyone else in this damned empire, and for his shoulder she is grateful.

Finally, the pair arrives to the Royal Dining Hall.

Alva stares at the oak doors separating her and the woman who brought the world to heel. Countless emotions rush through her at once. The most prominent are terror, hatred, anxiety, and a thrill of curiosity. A part of the princess wants to meet this great empress who crushed everyone else underfoot. 

She must be suicidal.

Alva takes a deep breath and tugs at the collar of her dress. Suddenly, the fabric seems far too tight against her throat. 

"Your Highness," Chol says, "You'll be alright." She sends him a dubious look and he grins. "If the Empress wanted you dead, you would be by now."

_Well that's reassuring._

Chol pushes open the doors to the dining hall and guides her into the room.

Several important people- high nobles, clergymen, and ministers by the looks of it- are speaking. They all cease their conversations when they notice Alva.

The silence is deafening. 

The princess- and is she really a princess now?- just _knows_ her blood is rushing to her cheeks. She can feel everyone staring at her with mixes of hostility and rapt fascination. Chol gives Alva's arm one last comforting squeeze and melts into the crowd. Her gray eyes travel around the room, in search of the infamous Fox Empress. 

Alva finds her there, at the head of the table.

Empress Kartini doesn't wear a dress, but a black tunic with pants of the same shade. A wolf fur cloak, dyed in imperial purple, drapes over her left shoulder, covering her entire side. A medallion- the symbol of her status- hangs from her neck, and as Alva lays eyes upon the woman who conquered her country and destroyed her father, she drinks in every detail.

The empress is pretty, but not as devastatingly beautiful as the ballads sung about her suggest. She has curly dark hair that's tied back, reaching her shoulders, and almond shaped eyes. They glitter like black diamonds against her ebony skin. A long, straight nose is accompanied by a full mouth and high cheekbones.

Only a fool would claim Empress Kartini isn't attractive, but there's something about her- and not her looks- that draws Alva in. Maybe it's the sharp intelligence which rests in her gaze or the sly smile that's formed upon her lips. Perhaps it's simply the proud way she sits, her confidence commanding Alva's attention.

Either way she approaches the empress on shaky legs and drops into a low curtsy. A part of her rages at being submissive to the monster who killed her father, and the other is quaking. 

"Princess Alva," Empress Kartini inclines her head. Her voice is difficult to describe. It's soft, but an undertone of steel is hidden, ready to rise to the surface.

"Your Majesty," Alva mutters in reply. 

The Fox Empress looks amused for a moment but her expression swiftly composes. She extends a hand towards the princess and helps her rise. Her fingers are long and nimble, layered with callouses and riddled with scars.

"We are pleased to have the daughter of the late King Ren in our court."

_I'm sure you are._ Alva bites the inside of her cheek and checks herself. It'll do her people no good if she can't convince the Empress Kartini to be merciful.

"It is an honor to be a guest of yours," the princess says.

Everyone in the room knows the statement she's just made is a blatant lie. 

The Fox Empress frowns and Alva's heart leaps up to her throat.

"Do not deceive us child," she commands. The steel in her voice is evident now. Alva flinches.

Beside Empress Kartini sits another woman, alongside a dark-haired man. They're both dressed in fine silver and green silk- the colors of the Melan Empire. The woman reaches out to touch her monarch's hand and the man, who is on her other side, whispers something into her ear.

Alva expects the Fox Empress to snap at them and lash out. Instead, she relaxes minutely. With a start, the princess realizes her two companions are concubines- and favored ones if the display before her is anything to go by. 

She takes a deep breath and prepares herself.

"Your Majesty," Alva is proud her voice doesn't quaver, "I am no child."

Empress Kartini tilts her head.

"You are nineteen summers old. A girl."

"A _woman,_ " Alva corrects, "who's seen her country fall and her father murdered. And with respect, you aren't that much older than I."

A brief flash of something- Alva isn't sure what- sparks in the empress's eyes.

_Damn it all! Did I go too far?_

"We are impressed by you, Princess. We did not expect for your tongue to be so bold." Alva grits her teeth. Does this bode well, or badly for her? "Tell us what it is you have come to request so that we might do our best to grant it."

This is Alva's chance!

The princess raises her chin and straightens her shoulders. She stares directly into Empress Kartini's onyx eyes and takes a deep breath.

"I stand before you to plead mercy."

"For yourself?"

"Nay- for my people. Be kind to them, be good and righteous, and that will be all I need."

The Fox Empress stands, and everyone else scrambles from their seats as well. The hem of her cloak brushes the tops of her high leather boots, swaying as she walks. She leans close to Alva, eying her intently and the princess gets the impression that she's looking right into her soul.

What does she see?

Alva can feel Empress Kartini's hot breath on her cheek and fights the urge to step back.

"You speak the truth," the other woman's voice is tinged with something unrecognizable. "You truly don't give a care in the world about yourself; only your people."

_Well, I'd also like to not be a glorified prisoner ._ Alva keeps that thought to herself.

The Fox Empress moves back out of her personal space, to her relief. The other woman touches her temple lightly, her brows furrowed in concentration, and Alva waits for her to speak.

"We will grant your request," the Empress says. "You must, in turn, give up your freedom. Is this a sacrifice you're willing to make?"

"I haven't had any freedom to begin with- not since the sacking of Cas."

The words fly from Alva's lips before she can stop them. Her eyes widen with horror. For a long moment, no one even dares to _breathe._ Then the Fox Empress's shoulders start to shake and she throws her head back. As soon as her court realizes she's laughing, they join her.

"We haven't had such bluntness directed at us in a long time," Empress Kartini says. "Forgive us, for laughing at your expense."

Alva clenches her jaw and gives a stiff nod.

"We will treat our new subjects with grace and dignity. Your willingness to sacrifice yourself for them has touched our heart." 

The princess's shoulders slump with relief. She closes her eyes for a moment, savoring her victory. 

She feels a hand brush up against her face and her gaze snaps to its owner. 

"You will be our companion and help us get our new subjects adjusted to our glorious empire," Empress Kartini says. The expression she wears is surprisingly soft. She's been moved, Alva realizes, by her self-sacrifice.

"You are just," Alva croaks. "So why did you kill my father and demolish my country?"

Her voice is low, so only the Fox Empress hears her. Kartini's eyes bore into hers.

"Because that is the way of the world," she replies. "The strong are born to rule and the weak are born to be ruled. King Ren was a powerful man, but he was no match for me. And because of that, he was punished."

Alva can't stop her scowl from slipping onto her face. The Fox Empress chuckles a bit at her expression and pats her cheek softly. Alva experiences a polarizing combination of disgust and sudden diffidence at her touch.

"You'll understand soon enough," the Empress says. "My court is one full of vipers after all."

A part of Alva is worried as she takes her place at the other woman's table. The Empress has freed her essentially from being her prisoner, but at the same time, she's thrown her into a coliseum and commanded her to fight. But as the other woman peers at her over her drink, the princess feels a sense of intrigue sweep over her. 

Empress Kartini is the ruling fox in a pit of vipers, and everyone knows it. She's confident- or arrogant- enough to let her enemy's last remaining heir live, though to be fair that could change at any moment. Alva wonders if the other woman has taken into account that although she's of no threat now and probably never will be, she might still grow fangs of her own one day. 

The princess reminds herself that foxes can still eat snakes.

She shakes her head, pushing away her foolish thoughts. She's won her people's safety and a bit of her freedom back; now is a time to celebrate!

Alva takes a mug of spicy ale, tilts her head back, and downs it. 

Whatever tomorrow brings, she will suffer it and she will survive. 


End file.
